SSA Rules Committee Meeting Minutes- Houston 11/16/2002 Final

Attendees: Karl Striedieck(KS), Hank Nixon(UH), Gary Ittner(P7), Ken Sorenson(KM), Dave Cole (A), John Good(JG)

1. Election of Officers and General Assignments

KS chair

UH secretary

JG rules writer (volunteer-no vote)

AA Aland Adams- Volunteer-poll tasks- no vote

A Sports Class Handicaps

2 Future Schedule

11/26 UH minutes draft to committee

12/2 Draft rule changes distributed to committee JG

12/10 Rules change explanation distributed to committee - A

12/15 Committee responses due back

1/1/03 Blue book cut off date, committee to KM

TBD date-2002 pilot poll publication: P7, SSA, SRA, r.a.s announcement.

9/1/03 2003 pilot poll issues P7

9/8/03 Draft questions to committee,

9/21/03 Final questions to Aland

9/28/03 poll open

10/21/03 poll close

TBD date: Publish minutes on web page: KS to send to SSA and SRA when ready

TBD date: Publish rule change summary on SSA web page: KS to send when ready before Board meeting.

Approved rule revisions will be published by KM following board meeting.

TBD date: Handicap revisions need to be complete prior to Seniors. A

Administration

3. Term limits for committee members. (poll)

Pilots can vote members off if they so choose. Rather than limit terms, we need to see that the committee nomination process is publicized. Currently, the nomination process is not well understood and not adequately documented. JG to put announcement in magazine. KS announcement on r.a.s. See KS schedule: start nomination process in May. This question has been on poll in past and was rejected. At Board meeting KM to request BOD to encourage nominations.

4 Raise entry fees if there is a large contest insurance fee increase. (KS)

No rules change. No problem yet, but anticipate there may be one. Committee intention is to allow an increase as needed by waiver. As part of waiver, require organizers to notify applicants of increase and why. KM to run waiver requests past RC.

5. Raise tow fee limit (KS-Tonopah).

Current max is $40.No change at this time. Continue to handle individual hardship cases by waiver. The few instances where the tow fee increases were needed were handled satisfactorily by waiver. Continue this practice.

6. Sliding entry fee to help organizers of small contests. (18M/PW)(Spratt)

Small classes combined with other classes by site selection committee to reach critical mass. No change at this time.

7. Proportioning class sizes in contests with entry ceiling. (Cole)

Much discussion. Elmira: according to poll as many as 70 pilots interested in Sports Nats. Contest will be heavily oversubscribed with two classes (Sports & PW5) Decide how many allowed in each of the classes? There is a problem with combining the Sports and PW5 at Elmira due to the 50 limit. A will talk to Dick Mockler to try to move the PW5 to Cordele to combine with 18m and Open. Given the poll information this appears to be a better fit. Cordele hosted the PW5 regionals last year and hosted a PW5 Nationals. PW5er's rejected the site selection choice of Ionia. Should also talk to Francois Pin. Generally: at combined nationals, contestants per class will be min contestants for class +2 allocated to each class, the rest by preferential entry. Applies to 2003.

8 Proportioning number of foreign entrants in contests with entry ceiling. (KS)

Consensus is to permit 5 for 65 entries and proportionally less for fewer total entrants. Ratio would be approximately 1 for each 12 US entries.

9 Sports/FAI regional class switching hassle at 60 day point for oversubscribed contests. (KS)

Potential problem is contestant switching from Sports class to FAI class at preferential entry cutoff for Mifflin due to the reverse seeding for Sports. High seed is less likely to get in if in Sports. No action at this time.

10. What is the cutoff time for standbys to be admitted. (Good)

Potential problem of contestant taking an entry slot at an oversubscribed contest and while a want-to-be contestant is waiting on standby and then entered contestant fails to show. Resolution: Require that entry fee be paid in full and entrant be on site at 9:00 on first contest day or lose spot to standby. Add wording proposed by Good. 5.2.2.5.1, with revisions.

11 Status of contest issues (ex: rules progress) on SSA web site. (Good)

Must publicize the RC schedule (prepared by KS – see attached). Must ensure that SSA and RC follow the process. For better communication, add a RC page on the SSA web site: Include minutes, current activities, schedule, rules changes, etc. KS is to contact Dick Mockler about adding a RC page and then maintaining the page. How do we make this happen?

12 Tow rope standards (Tost rings mandated) KS

Need to ensure ropes conform to consistent standard for strength and proper rings.

Resolution: Add JG proposed language 6.9.1 and 6.9.2. This will ensure the proper tow rings are used. Lightweight gliders will have to provide their own weak links.

13 Ask Charlie Spratt to review the “Guide to the Rules”. (Cole)

Should the Guide be re-titled? This used to be called the CD's Guide to the Rules. We changed it to cover additional areas. Need to add guidelines for proper use of TAT and other timed tasks. There is much CD guide information contained in this guide. CD's must be made more aware that this is available and a required addendum to the rules. One '02 CD commented in poll in manner that indicated he did not know it existed.

14 AA/Leibacher need correct info: SSA #'s, Team entries for poll and ranking. (AA)

Good point! Is it possible for Winscore to interface with the SSA's membership list for pilot SSA #s? JG to talk to Guy Byars.

Multiple pilots: Rules cover now. No rules change. Only the entrant gets seeding for Open. For team entry (pilot's swapping pilot duties), Leibacher will need to correct non-sports seeding results to conform with rules.

15 Pay SRA dues by credit card?

We think Roy McMaster can do this. KS to contact Roy about this.

16 Criteria for making the ranking list? (Nationals or Regionals only, or any sanctioned contest: 1-26, fun meets?)KM

Fun meets. Even though “sanctioned”, no ranking. Sanctioning is used to permit contest organizers to get insurance through SSA system.

Specific listing of ranking contests: Nationals, Regionals, 1-26 Nationals, Motorglider Nationals, Seniors. Weighting to be specified as what is currently being used. KM will take care of this.

17 Changes to on-line contest forms? (KM)

JG and KM to review forms by end of Feb.

18 Contest managers manual being assembled by Spratt. (KM)

Charlie is working on putting together a manual of how to run a contest. No action item for RC.

19 Turnpoints must be available from organizers by download and must be finalized well before the contest starts. (KM)

The official scorer's control point data in electronic format must to be available to the pilots from the organizers to ensure everybody is using same data. This must be available from contest organizers no later than time of registration.

Rule change: specify responsibility for providing as required.

20 Landpoints in the GPS database should all be bonus airports. (KM)

No change to rule. Put something in Contest Mangers guide for organizers to try to make all landpoints bonus airports. Many of landpoints are just downloaded from public databases. It is not practical for organizers to ensure they are OK. Stay with bonus airports defined as airports marked on sectionals, plus or minus some airports known to organizers as usable or not.

Regarding organizers responsibility for landability of bonus airports, see new language from JG 9.3. It's always the pilot's choice and responsibility to determine whether to land on airport shown on chart. Some may be usable for small gliders but not Opens.

Entries

21 Eliminate wing contest numbers. (Poll)

No change. Poll supports retention.

22 One foreign entrant per country, up to five total. (KM)

Need to clarify foreign entry priority process. Application must be by date of preferential entry to claim a foreigner slot. Admit one per country by date of application. Multiple pilots from one country are OK if unfilled foreigner spots are still available by preferential entry cutoff.

Rule change for Nationals.

23 Policy on waivers for more than 65 entrants. (Tonopah)

RC intent remains no waiver for single class contest above 65. Logistics and safety remain a concern, therefore continue to examine on a case by case basis.

24 Policy on maximum number of entrants at a contest site with multiple contests/classes. (KM) At Lubbock we had 73 entrants on the field because of the combined Sports and 18M contests. No waiver for the 65 limit was requested. Should the contestant limit be based on class size or total contest size?

KS suggests 75. UH and A suggest 65.

Resolution: Co-located contest will be site-limited to 65. RC will consider waiver for up to 75 with appropriate justification/support. Safety is the primary consideration.

Starts

25 Eliminate multi point option due to unfairness. (Cole)

Multi point start supported by poll. Successful multi-point starts at Uvalde and Tonopah. There are potential fairness problems but they are offset by the safety considerations of reduced pre-start gaggle size. JG to coordinate with GFB to ensure scoring program supports.

Rule change: Adopt multi point starts for Nationals as written for Regionals.

26 Unlimited altitude start ala Cochrane (Poll pg 7)

JC Proposal: Permit pilots to use unlimited star height but must drop down to a max start altitude within some time limit after the start opens. Allows start at high altitude. Potential problem with early launchers have a chance to search for wave. Effect of high start is to shorten task by allowing higher start. Observed effect of cylinder height set well below max climb height is that pilots disperse pre-start and then come back just before start.

Resolution: No change.

27 Scored distance to point pilot departs the start cylinder. (Cochrane)

JC Suggestion: Permit start from most advantageous point in cylinder. Complications: Flying out the top of the cylinder? Multiple penetrations of the cylinder? Start out the back of the cylinder and then bump through the gaggles in the cylinder? This last concern could be fixed by “last fix” rather than “most favorable fix”. JG is to contact Cochrane with some of these complications to get his response. There is more of an advantage to go to the max upwind edge than with the current system. Will this just move the gaggle point there?

Resolution: Tabled until next year. Possible poll question?

28 Randomize pilot's circle assignment each day. (Norris)

JN Suggestion to mix up multi point start assignments to increase fairness. Talk with Guy Byars, can it be done within Winscore? Not a big deal to do this outside the Winscore program. If done outside the scoring program, how to do this? Use the grid sheet?

Resolution: Investigate and implement if possible this coming year.

29 Arc start. (KM)

Done at Musbach. Radius from first turn and two radials to define a segment 6 miles long. Height limited. UH says it didn't spread things out.

Resolution: No change.

Tasking

30 Use greater variety of advisors. (Poll)

CD guide emphasis on advisor selection. Present system works well most of the time, with a few exceptions. Possible to have pilots select advisors rather than CD? KM talked to Charlie about this and he was against it, arguing that CD needs to pick pilots he can work with well and CD is in a better position to determine who is best suited to be advisor at a given contest. Some good pilots are not good advisors. Need to not just have "yes men". Discussed giving advisors more power of tasking. Present system generally works well. Tonopah tasking problems were unusual and unlikely to happen again for other reasons. Resolution: Leave the advisor system as-is. No rule change.

31 Roll calls should be in a predictable order (alphabetic?) for efficiency. CD Guide? (KS)

Address in CD guide. Rules: Where practical do alphabetically.

32 NAT TAT (Minutes of contests, poll)

Implement TAT for use at nationals. Strong poll approval. Good task. Charlie likes it.

Resolution: Implement in National rules for '03.

33 TAT Pilot adjustment of finish time

Various suggested ways of permitting pilots to adjust task length at end of TAT.

1)Create a circle around the finish line that would be scored like TPs. (KS)? No

2)Allow a final leg. (Murray). No

3)Allow a constructive turn point for the final leg.? No

15 min mod to scoring formula will make it less critical to get back right on time (see item 47). Making the TAT circles larger would help. This can also be dealt with by guidance in the Guide – want the last turn relatively close to home and large enough to tune the task. If turn radii are selected correctly, there is ample opportunity for pilots to adjust.

Resolution: Adopt "15 minute mod"- see It 47 which makes finish time not critical.

34 MAT Eliminate tie breaker because it discourages attempts for additional TPs.

Current rule provides small benefit to higher tie-breaker speed and big opportunity to gain for those who get the extra mileage. The situation at Hobbs last year resulted from a poor choice of TPs.

Resolution: No change.

35 Can CD designate a final TP? (Poll pg 10)

Suggestion is to permit final steering turn as mandatory last turn.

Resolution: No action here. See below, item 38.

36 AST Enlarge TPs (Murray) (KM)

Suggestion: Increase from ¼ mile to 1 mile to enhance safety. We tried to do this last year. Guy Byars wanted to wait. This would be treated the same as TAT. Smallest TP radius is one mile. Scored to most favorable point if this is possible in Winscore.

Resolution: Make smallest TP radius 1 mile and score to most favorable point. This eliminates the most favorable point and makes turns potentially safer. JG write new rule.

37 Eliminate AST because a properly designed (low min time) MAT or (small circle/low Time) TAT cover it. (KS)

Devaluation philosophy different with AST where pilots must go to all turn points and MAT where they have option to drop off and finish. Distance task rather than timed task. Resolution: No change.

38 PST Eliminate because a one-turn MAT achieves the same thing. (KS)

PST is just as special case of the MAT.

Resolution: JG Rewrite rules to drop the PST. Add a zero mandatory turn option to MAT. Do not include steering turn option -- can be administered manually in the scoring. Steering turn allowed on MAT by waiver.

39 More TPs allowed (Poll)

This is a carryover from cameras. Eleven is plenty of turns. Pilots need to have flight planning challenge. More challenging tasks are those with fewer TPs.

Resolution: No change.

40 Eliminate prohibited legs (Cole)

We should not allow flight into prohibited airspace. Period. Especially given the current post-9-11 airspace sensitivity. GPS can easily be used to enforce this. UH noted that differing algorithms can create differing interpretations from same raw data. Happened in Germany this year. Prohibited legs no longer required. Class D airspace is not currently prohibited, this doesn't change. 500 ft vertical buffer, 100 pts. 100 ft, zero points. 1 mi horizontal buffer, 100 pts, 0.2 mi, zero points. JG to talk to Guy Byars about the feasibility of incorporating this into Winscore. We understand that this might be somewhat more difficult for pilots without moving maps with SUA displays but believe this to not be serious problem. Staying out of prohibited airspace has priority. Possible to acquire a SUA national airspace file?

Resolution: Eliminate prohibited leg list. Incorporate penalties for airspace proximity as described above. Coordinate text of rule with GFB capability.

41 Mandatory mix of tasks (Nixon)

Much discussion. Tonopah tasking was a problem and violated the intent of the rules to mix task types. Rules change to say “variety of types of tasks”. Consensus was that Tonopah was likely an anomaly and that most CD's make an effort to mix task types. KM as contest chair can discuss this problem with future Nationals CDs to ensure they don't have an unacceptable single-task mind-set. Not practical to require task mixing in the rules. We might create the potential for an entire contest to be thrown out due to non-compliance with a required mix of tasks. Better to deal with this by screening and educating CDs to ensure a balanced approach.

42 Issue of liability for giving bonus to unlandable airports (Gertsen/Bearden)

Reviewed Bearden's suggested rules language and thought it was too detailed. Other similar potential problems exist many places in the rules. Not practical to fix all with such language. Better to deal with this with a broad approach per JG language.

Resolution: Adopt JG proposed rule language.

43 Conflict in stated opening times (10.1.5 – 15 minutes, 10.8.1.1 – 10 minutes) KS

Suggestion was to clean up inconsistency.

Resolution: Change to “About 15” for both.

Finish

44 Extend the cylinder to the ground and add a miss distance adjustment. (Northcraft)

Also discussed Cochran's finish cylinder suggestion in Soaring magazine. Rules already allow for finish cylinder, rolling finish adjustment provides a penalty for failing to be over the min cylinder finish height. This penalty is not as extreme as suggested by Cochrane. Not convinced it needs to be that extreme to have the desired effect. What about the pilot who misses the bottom of the cylinder by 50 ft? Cochran's suggestion looks good but needs a more discussion. Graduated approach is too complicated. Present approach with rolling finish provides sufficient safety margin and points incentive to finish in the cylinder.

Resolution: No rule change for now. Poll question for next year.

45 Cylinder finish altitude should be calculated from finish altimeter setting value. (Good)

Good and Charchian both suggest alternative to look at both the start and finish pressure altitudes and use pressure altitude most favorable to the pilot. Talk to Guy Byars to see if this is possible within Winscore?

Resolution: If practical, incorporate as rule change.

46 Cylinder finish sucks. (Murray)

No change. See poll results. RC likes old finish too but cylinder is safer.

Scoring

47 Add time (15 minutes) to pilots actual time to remove advantage for precision finishes at min task time and thus greater reliance on computing systems. (Cochrane)

JC suggestion to change rules to adopt a 15 min adjustment to time on course in the scoring formula. Reduces the need for precise finishes and cockpit gadgetry on timed-task flights. Post JG analysis done last year on RC webpage. Link to Cochran's article on the RC webpage.

Resolution: Adopt JG drafted rule change.

48 Sliding devaluation for late start land outs. (Good, Cochrane)

Intent is to encourage pilots to start earlier and discourage late gaggle starters. Reviewed JG draft rule. The 1hr/2hr parameters used by JG make the effect of this relatively small. Over-tweeking? Mass landouts typically caused by something other than late starts. Needs further discussion. Too much complication. Good idea, but needs some more thought. This would be worthwhile change from a safety standpoint if it would help reduce gaggling by pushing more pilots out on course earlier.

Resolution: No change for now. Continue to develop idea.

49 Drop a day experiment in regionals. (Good)

This would reduce the effect of bad luck days. It would encourage some more risk-taking. Try this in a regionals or seniors. Not to be put in the rules. It would be offered as a possibility in 2003 as a trial. Cost of a landout goes down. Effect of this could be to cause people to leave late and take more landout chances. Is this good or bad?

Resolution: Test as drafted in JG suggested rule by waiver for Regionals in 2003. Poll question next year. JG to write this up and sell.

50 Winscore source code availability.

KM to talk to Guy Byars. RC concern is one of continuity in event that GFB becomes unable to continue to provide continued service to racing community. This is for disaster protection only.

51 Eisenbeiss concerns about scoring at Albert Lea. See letter.

Scorer must pick the correct flight for the day. Not necessary for Winscore to do such screening.

Resolution: Adopt JG proposed rule as drafted.

52 Winscore request from GB: include age for juniors.

KM to handle.

53 All pilots flights should be automatically sent to SSA every day if possible.

Requested by SZ. This would help promote interest in competition. Winscore can do this automatically. We still need to retain the possibility of a pilot withholding a flight from public dissemination. JG to ask Guy if it is possible to provide means to suppress flight as requested by pilot. Request Winscore flight files to be sent with the score sheets. Handle IGC files as they are.

54 Winscore financial support – SSA is slow paying. Is SSA's compensation to GB OK? Many contests are using Winscore and not paying Guy. (KM)

SSA compensation for Guy Byars support of Winscore covers just his general support and for the Nationals. Regionals are supposed to pay Guy directly. He asks for “$5 per contestant or $50, whichever is greater” About 30% of the Regional contests are paying. Resolution: Rules change for Regionals: SSA sanction fee increased by Winscore usage fee. SSA to pass the fee on to Guy along with the SSA Nationals support fee. This program is excellent and Guy's support has been excellent. We need to ensure he is dealt with fairly.

55 Use “See You” scoring. (Poll)

RC well satisfied with Winscore.

Penalties

56 MSH penalty now 200 points for everything above 1000'. Incentive to manipulate? (Good)

Current rule could create possible incentive for deliberate start height violation.

Resolution: Adopt JG draft rule.

57 Action on pilots who cancel checks to farmers. (Murray)

No RC action. Horsewhip the pilot.

58 Graduated penalties for close approaches to SUA's (as per 18,000')

Already covered, see above.

59 Airspace penalties. (Spratt 9/1/2002 letter.)

Already covered, see above

Nationals

60 Rotation (Poll)

Two central organizations: NSF, Uvalde. Wearing them out. According to poll, pilots prefer ECWC. What to do about more central contest sites? No RC action. A says site selection committee is watching this.

Open Class

61 Allow two-seaters to go to 810 kg (Poll pg 13)

No change. Table this for further discussion. Need direct poll of the active open pilots.

62 Site Rotation (Poll)

Poll results were evenly split and suspect – 43 respondents claiming to fly open class next year. US team selection and preparation argues for some eastern contests. Consideration of pairing with other classes is important for financial success of Open contests.

Resolution: No change.

Sports Class

63 Review handicap numbers. Compare to other countries (Cole)

A will run the handicaps for RC. Will work with Steve Leonard and Phil Eklund. Compare our handicaps with other countries. Handicaps ready in time for seniors.

Standard Class

64 Review 9 lb wing loading

Poll was neutral. No change without a strong mandate. Safety issues favor current limit. Std ships not like flapped 15M ships. No real effect on competition. 9 lb is still high enough that pilot judgment is required in managing water ballast.

Resolution: No change

New Class

65 Add a two-seater class to nationals. (KS)

Pro: Would add another small class to pair with other small contests. Con. Might reduce the number of regionals. Can do in Sports and Opens. Fragmented already. Participation in contests is up.

Resolution: No change.

66 Procedures for preventing unsafe tasking. (BOD)

The Tonopah storm tasking was discussed earlier in meeting and was discussed again here. This is a very difficult problem to solve by application of rules. Good CD judgement is required and there is no replacement for this. Erosion of CD authority over tasking creates other problems. RC considered possibility of required time-limited task on day with high probability of thunderstorms. This wouldn't prevent CD from calling MAT or TAT turnpoint in a bad quadrant. RC considered possibly allowing pilots to cancel a bad task call by petition after the task. This was not thought to be practical. RC considered possibly canceling task in the air after task opening. This was not thought to be fair to those pilots who have committed to do the task. This has traditionally been avoided. KM talked to Charlie Spratt about this. Considered transferring more tasking power to the advisors. Believe that it is generally better to retain CD authority. Tasking flexibility is important. Different tasks should be encouraged. Tools are available. No good solution to fix unsafe tasking through the rules. Work with CDs. Hopefully the KS protest regarding Hannes's storm task at Tonopah has attracted enough attention to the need for increased CD caution and better judgement in the type of task called that this problem will be less likely in the future.

Resolution: No rules change.

67 Mandatory advisor poll before task opening. (Ladd)

Suggestion was to require mandatory polling of advisors before task opening. Good idea to poll but not practical to make the mandatory. It is presently in the rules as something the CD should do.

Resolution: No change to rules.

68 Encourage CD's to use all weather sources before task opening. (Ladd)

Agree this should be done. No change in rules

Prizes

69 Should monetary or otherwise valuable prizes be permitted? (Sorenson)

This came up at the PW5 Nationals at Cordele. Wait until this is a problem. No change.

Safety

70 Better management of approach, finish and landing environment. (KS)

Suggest cylinder finish announcement and downwind announcement for safety.

Resolution: JG to add to rules. Not mandatory.

GPS

71 Chip's concern about insecurity of floppy files that are translated igc files.

Is addressed in the rules.6.7.6.2. Secure files are not tamper proof, just tamper evident. The vulnerability of data file security and the associated rule should be pointed out to scorer and CD in the Guide.

Resolution: No change required.

Protests

72 Protest appeals to be handled by Contest Committee Chair in consultation with the Rules Committee, rather than by the “SSA Contest Committee”. (KM)

Suggestion: Change from “Appeal of a decision of the CD shall be directed to the SSA Contest Committee” to “Appeal of a decision of the CD shall be directed to the Chairman of the SSA Contest Committee” in 8.3.

Resolution: Adopt change.

73 Should a bad call be added as grounds for a protest? (KM)

No change. Already discussed – see above.

US Team

74 Single pilot WGC. Select before pre-worlds? (KM)

There is a glitch in the present team selection process. We pick the first pilot a year early in anticipation of at least two pilots going to the WGC. The pre-selected pilot is supposed to go to the pre-worlds. As currently written, if we or the contest organizers later set the number of pilots in that class to be one, the pilot who went to the pre-worlds would not be the single US Team pilot sent. As currently written, if only one pilot goes it is the pilot selected just before the WGC.

Resolution: Pass on to US Team Committee to fix such that the first pilot selected is always the pilot selected before the pre worlds. If only one pilot can go, the pre-selected pilot goes.

Non-Agenda Items

75 US Team Task force status. (KM)

RC supports the current direction of the task force and the related proposed BOD action items, including the formation and authority of the new US Team Committee, establishment of the team treasurer position, and a defined-benefit approach to funding.

76 2006 Lubbock Worlds Contest Manager (KM)

Discussed.

77 Establish a new SSA volunteer position for Contest Development (fun meets, juniors, feminine)? KM

Discussed.

78 Leibacher: Official keeper of the Ranking list and US Team list

Great!

79 Definition of Junior As per IGC(Leibacher)

KM to handle with Leibacher. Rules change as necessary to match IGC definition.

80 Jun/Fem Champions: (Leibacher)

Looks good. Belongs to US Team Committee.

81 WGC/PWC Contribution (Leibacher)

82 Pilot ranking issues. (Leibacher)

RC means to reverse in 5.2.2.1

83 Remove 10.4.2 that requires TP accuracy to 200 feet.

Poll comment: this is from camera days and can be eliminated. Now we fly to points in space.

Resolution: Delete rule.

84 Remove 10.6.2.10 that Requires roll times

Roll times and take off list still required to have list of who took off for safety purposes.

Also need roll times to reconcile with flight logs.

Resolution: No change to rule.